No time to pause for Silva

He takes reins as mayor in January, but work begins now

STOCKTON - By mid-Wednesday, Anthony Silva had gotten little if any sleep since learning the day before that he will be Stockton's next mayor. That didn't keep his phone from ringing nonstop and the questions coming in about his plans for the city.

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By Scott Smith

recordnet.com

By Scott Smith

Posted Nov. 8, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By Scott Smith
Posted Nov. 8, 2012 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

STOCKTON - By mid-Wednesday, Anthony Silva had gotten little if any sleep since learning the day before that he will be Stockton's next mayor. That didn't keep his phone from ringing nonstop and the questions coming in about his plans for the city.

Still dressed in his suit and tie from his election party, Silva 38, checked in to his office at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stockton, where he's president.

He shot off an email to Police Chief Eric Jones, calling him a "shining star" and assuring Jones that he will get all the help needed to make Stockton safe. Another email went to City Manager Bob Deis.

Silva asked Deis for a copy of the city's budget and some time next week to meet.

"I look forward to hitting the ground running," Silva said in an interview, where he also said he's still absorbing the win and considering appointments, such as naming the vice mayor and filling various boards.

An underdog candidate, Silva beat incumbent Mayor Ann Johnston by a 16-point margin (58-42 percent) in Tuesday's election. He'll assume office Jan. 8, taking political leadership of a city in bankruptcy and besieged by street violence and gangs.

His victory and the election, which will bring new faces to four of seven council seats, changes the political landscape in Stockton. It has yet to be seen if Silva and Deis will form a working relationship.

Silva said the election wasn't about him, but rather residents saying they wanted something better, someone passionate and motivated about fighting crime.

"I'm pleased with the results," he said. "There's nothing to celebrate right now. ... People are watching throughout the nation. We've got to roll up the sleeves and start working."

On the campaign trail, Silva said he wouldn't take a salary for working full time as mayor until he'd balanced the budget and restored police presence. He wasn't ready to announce a change in his employment at the Boys & Girls Club just yet, saying he will work full time as mayor to make Stockton safe.

Silva on Wednesday also called Johnston, leaving her a message wishing her well, thanking her for her service to Stockton and running a good race. He invited her to stay involved under his administration, saying he has an "open door" policy.

Johnston, 70, in an interview with The Record, expressed disappointment, saying she looked forward to a second term when she could follow through with setting the city's finances straight and instituting crime-fighting plans launched during her tenure.

She said that Stockton's high crime probably toppled her, putting bankruptcy in second place among reasons for her political downfall. She and the other council members who voted for bankruptcy said they took a calculated risk by filing for Chapter 9.

"I'm frankly very proud of the four years I've spent in the mayor's office," she said, adding that people expect instant results. "Evidently, the voters thought differently and thought that a change was necessary."

Vice Mayor Kathy Miller, a political ally of Johnston, managed to retain her council seat. She had trouble rectifying the "mixed message" voters sent in Tuesday's election, she said.

She worried about the city police and fire unions' influence in the election - such as backing Silva - and what consequence their campaign contributions will have in future votes as Stockton navigates its way out of bankruptcy and more challenging finances.

"They've made no bones about it," Miller said. "They want to regain what they feel has been lost to their membership."

Silva alone will not have the power to make dramatic decisions, Miller said. Even as mayor, he will have one vote, and to get his way he will have to gain support from three other council members.

Union chiefs, who said they recognize that Stockton has financial troubles, said they only want what's fair.

"Just because we endorsed him, we don't want a 'yes man,' " said Capt. Dave Macedo, president of the Stockton Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 456.

Macedo faulted Johnston and the current city leadership for blaming city employees for causing Stockton's problems and derogatory comments doled out in public forums to that effect. The firefighters don't expect to get rich, but they want fair pay, he said.

"One hundred and seventy five guys don't forget about that," he said. "I'm not going to say good riddance Ann Johnston, but I truly believe in karma."

Sgt. Kathryn Nance, president of the Stockton Police Officers' Association, said changing out Johnston for Silva may soothe contentious relations between the police and City Hall.

She, too, said she didn't expect Silva to take their marching orders. She hoped that Silva and this refigured council will have more independence rather than just following Deis' commands.

"I think he has to make that decision and decide what he can do," Nance said of Deis.

Deis declined to comment, responding in an email only that it was "premature to speculate." He also responded to Silva's request for a meeting to begin hashing out Stockton's most pressing issues. Deis offered Silva two hours in December.